


The Trials and Tribulations of A New Normal

by moodyvalentinestories (moodyvalentine)



Series: ♡ Rachel Fields x Thomas Hunt ♡ [8]
Category: Hollywood U: Rising Star
Genre: F/M, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-01-26 02:47:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21366898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moodyvalentine/pseuds/moodyvalentinestories
Summary: It's the first day of classes after they get together... how's that going to go?
Relationships: Thomas Hunt/Main Character, Thomas Hunt/Original Character(s), Thomas Hunt/Rachel Fields
Series: ♡ Rachel Fields x Thomas Hunt ♡ [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1493831
Kudos: 8





	1. A Little More Careful

Rachel blindly reached for her phone to turn off her alarm but her hands couldn’t find it. All she felt was suspiciously soft fabric. Where was the edge of the bed? And where was her nightstand? _Oh shit._

“Would you _please_ turn that off,” she heard Thomas say and, a moment later, felt his arms wrap around her from behind. He moved some of her hair out of the way and his lips attached to her neck. “Please.”

“Thomas,” she sighed, unable to think for a moment, before she remembered and turned to him. “It’s Monday.”

It took him a moment to realise what she meant. Since when did it matter what day of the week it was? Especially to her. She didn’t have any obligations during the break. And then it hit him. “Oh no.”

She wasn’t supposed to stay the night. Not this time. But somehow… somehow, they’d both forgotten. Of course they had. They always got so lost in each other that nothing else mattered. But, even if they’d forgotten about it, there _was_ an outside world – one they would have to return to. Today.

The alarm was still ringing as they stared at each other, unsure what to do. Eventually, Rachel weaselled her way out of his embrace and got out of bed to turn off her phone that lay on the dresser on the opposite side of the room.

Thomas’ eyes followed her nearly naked form and he exhaled audibly. In only a couple of hours, this woman would be his student again. And he had _no idea_ how he could possibly pretend he hadn’t seen her like this, heard her moans last night, or held her in his arms just now. It would be his greatest acting challenge yet, and he was determined to succeed. For her.

He managed to tear his eyes away from her to look at his own alarm clock, surprised to see just how early it was. “While I’m glad you’re starting to take school seriously, would you mind explaining to me why you’ve got your alarm set to _six in the morning_?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll set it to seven-fifty in about a week or two,” she said as she put her phone down again and picked up her dress from the floor. “That’s usually when the beginning-of-the-semester-motivation starts to fade.”

Thomas sat up, crossing his arms over his chest. “Your first class isn’t until eight, which I _know_ because I happen to teach it. Come back to bed for a few more minutes.”

It would have been better if she’d simply left the night before, but she hadn’t. So what difference did a few more minutes make? He couldn’t let her go yet. Because the moment she walked out that door, things would be different.

“I wish I could,” she said, pulling the dress over her head. “But, after last night, I _definitely_ need a shower and I’m pretty sure the building’s running out of hot water in about ten to twenty minutes.”

“Use mine then.”

Rachel stopped in her tracks, the dress only halfway on, peering through an armhole. “What now?”

Obviously, she hadn’t heard that correctly with the material of her dress covering her ears. Because he definitely hadn’t just offered what she thought he’d offered. Right?

“I said you could use my shower. Just… don’t leave yet.”

He tried to hide it, but Rachel still noticed the slight crack in his voice. She quickly finished putting on her dress and crawled back onto the bed.

“Thomas,” she whispered, putting a hand on his cheek. “I know you’re worried about today. I am, too. Which is why I’m going to head to my dorm, have a lukewarm shower, drink a pre-class coffee with my friends and pretend like I didn’t just spend the night at my professor’s place. Because that’s the only way this is going to work.”

“I would like it if you stayed,” Thomas replied before leaning in to kiss her. The logical part of his mind recognised she was right. But it wasn’t the logical part that needed convincing. “I would _really_ like it.”

“I’ll see you in class,” she chuckled as she pulled back. A soothing smile on her lips, she added, “And I _promise_ this doesn’t change anything. Our situation will be different. But we won’t. We’ll still be us. We’re just going to have to be a little more careful.”

Thomas huffed. “Why are you always reasonable when I don’t want you to be and never when I do?”

“I suppose it can only be one of us at a time,” she laughed and got off the bed. “Just know that I _will_ take you up on that shower offer one day. Maybe I’ll make you join me.”

Before he could respond, she’d grabbed the rest of her things and disappeared into the hall. Thomas fell back onto the bed and smiled. For some reason, the fact that she’d stood her ground just now, made him more confident that they would be able to pull this off. The weight of keeping this hidden from the public wasn’t on his shoulders entirely. She was more than willing to be careful – maybe too careful, if there was such a thing – and, as annoying as he may find it in the moment, it was a huge relief. He wasn’t an optimist by any means but maybe, just maybe, they could make this work.


	2. Rachel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the first day of the new semester. Addison and Rachel meet up and talk before their classes. Also, Rachel’s worried.

“Honestly, I think I may have signed up for way too many classes this year,” Addison said as she took the two cups from the barista and handed one to Rachel. “But they all sound so interesting! I mean, _Computer-Aided Fashion Design_? How could I not? And, oh my God, I’m _so_ excited for my _Introduction to Costume Design_ course! Have I told you about that one yet? I’m going to have to tell you about it!”

Rachel nodded along as she half-heartedly listened to her friend’s ramblings about how exciting this new semester was. It wasn’t like she didn’t care, or she didn’t feel the same way – she certainly did look forward to a great many of her classes – but her mind was elsewhere. Namely, with a certain professor of hers.

She was worried. Not as much about being discovered, but about what this would mean for them. Of course, she’d told him that nothing would change less than two hours ago. But how true was it? Neither of them had wanted to be in this position. She didn’t want to be his student, and he sure as hell didn’t want to be her professor. Would the fact that they’d have to go back to playing these roles take a toll on them? On their relationship?

She didn’t have much time to dwell on it as she was ripped from her thoughts, right back to reality, when she heard his name.

“Oh, speaking of professors I’d rather not have this semester, have you seen Hunt recently?” Addison asked and put down her cup on one of the tables in the back of the café so they’d have some privacy. Her eyes never left her friend’s face, though, trying to gauge her reaction.

“Professor Hunt? No, not since the dinner party,” Rachel replied as nonchalantly as she could, unsure if it would be convincing enough, and sat down.

Addison narrowed her eyes at her. She wasn’t quite sure if she’d imagined it or if there really was something about her voice that made it sound like a lie. “Really? So you just dropped it after that? You didn’t try to talk to him again even once?”

“I told you, that night was the end of it. He made his feelings very clear, and I decided to respect that,” Rachel said and took a sip of her coffee. It wasn’t a lie, was it? That night had been the end of her chasing him, and he had made his feelings clear.

“Right. And then you found your little rebound, what, a week later?” her friend said with a mischievous smirk. “You know, for a moment I really thought your mystery man was actually Hunt.”

Rachel nearly choked on her coffee. “He would _never_. You know that, Addi. And I _am_ over him.”

“I’m _kidding_, Rachel,” Addison chuckled. She’d had her suspicions, of course, but Rachel was right – it was quite unimaginable for Professor Hunt of all people to risk his career and, more importantly, his reputation like that. Even if he did, at some point, have feelings for Rachel. “Besides, you’d tell me if something _were _to ever happen between you two again, right?”

“Right,” Rachel said, hiding behind her cup as she took another sip of coffee. She _hated_ lying to her best friend, but it was necessary. The fewer people knew, the better. “You’d be the first person I’d tell.” That, at least, wasn’t a lie. If she ever told anyone, it _would_ be her.

Surprisingly enough, Addison dropped the subject then. “Anyway, I’ve been going on about my classes for ages, what about yours? Anything in particular you’re looking forward to?”

“Oh, I had _such_ a hard time deciding which classes to take,” Rachel began, finally letting her excitement for the new semester shine through. “Like, why are the Improvisation and the Stage Combat course in the same time slot? What if I want to do both?”


	3. Thomas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the first day of the new semester. Thomas is… nervous?!

Thomas had been teaching Cinematography every fall term since his tenure at the university had begun and he’d never been nervous before giving the introductory lecture. Why would he have been? He _knew_ what he was talking about, after all. Yet, there he sat in his office, going over his lesson plan for what must have been the fifth time in less than an hour.

Of course, it wasn’t actually the lecture he was worried about. That was simply something to project his worries onto. No, he was quite aware that the source of his anxiety was a certain student of his that would be attending said lecture. Because despite Rachel’s comforting words earlier this morning, he wasn’t so sure that their relationship would make it through all of this unscathed.

Because even _if_ Thomas could bring himself to be as cruel to her as he was to his other students, he didn’t know how she would take it. She’d said she’d be fine with it – hell, she’d even told him it was what she wanted – but it was still entirely possible that she’d find she couldn’t be with someone who treated her this way. _What if he lost her?_


	4. Change?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the first lecture of the new semester and things are… going. They’re going.

For once, Thomas was glad that _Cinematography 1_ classes were always overcrowded. It meant they were usually held in the biggest lecture hall the university had to offer – big enough for him not to be able to clearly see the students in the last row. Which, he assumed, was where Rachel and her friends would be sitting. At least that would make it easier for him to ignore her.

Except, of course, she wasn’t going to let him. As he walked up to the lectern, letting his eyes wander over the crowd, he spotted her where he least expected her – sitting in the third row by herself, staring straight back at him with a mischievous grin on her face.

_So much for being careful_, he thought and shot her a glare. It did not have the intended effect, however, as her grin widened at that. Why did she insist on torturing him? Why did she _enjoy_ torturing him? He let out a quiet sigh before stepping up to the lectern. There wasn’t much he could do unless he wanted to make a scene in front of every one of the approximately five hundred students in the room. Which he most certainly did _not_.

After peeking at his notes one last time, he started his lecture, making a point of not looking at Rachel. He was sure she noticed, and it must have frustrated her to no end that she didn’t get what she wanted – whatever that might have been. His attention, presumably. Either way, he wasn’t going to give it to her.

She narrowed her eyes when she realised what he was doing. He was _ignoring_ her. Of course _he_ would have thought that would be the right thing to do. What an idiot he was. Hadn’t she told him not to start treating her differently than before? Hadn’t he agreed? It seemed it was up to her to make sure he would keep his word.

“If you think you know what to expect because you had the privilege of attending my _Hollywood 101_ class last semester, let me correct that misconception,” Thomas continued his introductory lecture, unaware of her plans. He didn’t see the scowl on her face as she tried to figure out how to get his attention. “You have spent a year in this town now. I would hope you have not only attended multiple classes but worked on projects in the real world as well.”

Rachel raised her hand. He saw from the corner of his eye but chose to continue ignoring her. There was no way anyone already had a question. Least of all her.

“What I’m saying is: playtime is over. We’ll no longer be coddling you. So I implore you to ask yourself: do you _want_ to be here? Are you willing to put in the work? If not…” He gestured toward the exit. “There is the door. Leave. Don’t waste your and, more importantly, _my_ time.”

Her hand was still raised, and she started snapping her fingers. It was getting significantly harder for him not to look at her but he managed. What was she _thinking_? Was she _trying_ to get them discovered?

“Now that that is out of the way… Cinematography. What is it? Why do you need to learn about it? What—”

He wasn’t going to acknowledge her, Rachel realised, unless she did something he couldn’t ignore. So she spoke up, interrupting him. “Professor! Professor, I’ve got a question!”

He inhaled sharply before turning to glare at her. “Miss Fields, you will have time to ask questions _after_ I’ve finished speaking. Until then, I recommend you _don’t_ disturb the lecture again if you intend to stay.”

She grinned again then, triumphantly, and he felt much like he had so many times before when she’d sat in his class, infuriating him beyond belief. And, suddenly, he understood. Sitting close enough for him to see her and, undoubtedly, hear her if she were to make snide remarks during the lecture, was exactly the right thing to do. It was something she would have done last year, just to infuriate him.

Things hadn’t changed all that much since the last time they’d been in this position. She was still his most annoying student, and he was still her toughest professor. Just like last year. Except, he realised, he wouldn’t have to wonder what it would be like to have her this time around. He wouldn’t have to go home tortured by his fantasies of her – because he could go home _with her_ and make those fantasies a reality. He almost smiled then. Almost.

“Smirk all you want now, Miss Fields. You won’t be feeling so cocky when you fail your first assignment,” Thomas said, his frown perfectly in place.

She cocked an eyebrow. “Would you really let your favourite student fail, Professor?”

“_Least_ favourite student,” he said. This was comfortable. This was _good_. It seemed she did know what she was doing. Maybe he should have given her more credit. She was, after all, one of his brightest students. And most certainly his favourite. “And _I would_.”


End file.
